With the constant, fluid change of globalization, increased mobile device use, and app development, marketing is becoming increasingly digital. Today, you can start your own business while in high school or before you join the work force. In fact, The 2016 BNP Paribas Global Entrepreneurs Report stated that “millennipreneurs” are starting businesses earlier than previous generations. They’re small business owners and “tech geeks” that understand Internet trends and are making their mark at a young age.
Millennials or not, many business owners still don’t understand how to reach their target market through the use of their own website by adding keywords, useful content, and blog posts. They may also misunderstand the best tactics for marketing through social media or other channels. Keeping up with the latest technology and demands from Google (and other search engines) can be overwhelming.
If you’re making a foray into online marketing, consider these trends we’ve listed below. Educate yourself, and use them to benefit your business startup or entrepreneurial venture:
Mobile and Geofencing
Smartphone users are forecast to increase to (approximately) 2.5 billion in 2019. Geofencing is a vital tool for new businesses wanting to grab target customers’ immediate attention. Geofencing uses technologies like RFID (radio frequency identification), GPS (global positioning system), and Bluetooth. It directly contacts potential customers who are physically in particular geographic areas. By applying geofencing to your online marketing strategy, you can send ads, sale notifications, and other promotions straight to specific mobile devices.
The click-through rate of geofencing is 13.6%. This is higher than generic push notification. The number of customers who click on the geofencing promotions shouldn’t be discounted. Popular brands have the advantage of being well-known; geofencing gives smaller businesses a unique ability to increase their brand awareness.
Evergreen Content
Brands with successful websites generate a steady amount of “organic traffic.” Many of them use content marketing approaches, like posting “evergreen content.” This type of content is written about ideas or answers that rarely change over time, like “How to Dye Your Hair” or “How to Tie a Knot.” As an entrepreneur, evergreen content is your ally because you can regularly review and revise it with small updates. This method reduces the amount of content you create for an entirely new piece in the future. It’s a long-term strategy with huge benefits.
Evergreen content can help get your website on top of search engine results. Google occasionally changes its search algorithm, and it rewards websites that have a high volume of visitors, backlinks from reputable websites, and links to other content they created. You can hire a digital marketing company in Burlington if you want a more detailed SEO (search engine optimization) strategy for that area. Regardless, you can reap the benefits of evergreen content in the following ways:
- Consistent Traffic – Since this type of content has the benefit of a long “shelf life,” it will continuously generate traffic and attract visitors (as long as you keep promoting it).
- Quality Backlinks – Google recognizes a website “credible” by analyzing what other sites are linking to its content. For example, if Huffington Post included a link to a Moz blog post to back up their content, Google will likely give the Moz site higher rankings. Evergreen content attracts backlinks because it covers basic subjects in a specific way, and remains relevant long after linked content is posted.
- Links to Other Content – The Google algorithm likes when trustworthy websites link to other pages, and evergreen content is an ideal prospect for this possibility. Linking relevant pieces of content together makes it quicker for visitors to travel from one piece of content to another.
Live Video Streaming
Live video streaming started as a niche idea but gained popularity through social media (e.g. Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Snapchat). Video streaming is expected to increase its Internet traffic exponentially in the next two years. A major factor why video streaming continues to grow as a marketing tool is that it can be educational, entertaining, and motivate consumers into purchasing services or products. Entrepreneurs who use video have the advantage of broadcasting live anytime, or any day in the week.
With live streaming, you can share insights about your brand, information about a project, or offer business advice to viewers. Live video streaming lets you connect with viewers in real time. This makes it an ideal medium to answer questions potential customers might have, and connect with them personally. It’s also free to use and you don’t need to spend time editing. It’s raw; it’s live — and if you’re comfortable in front of a camera (or shooting your own video with an iPhone or selfie stick), you can expand your brand by giving it a face and a voice.
Improve your startup business’ visibility with consistent digital marketing efforts. Even small and medium-sized businesses can benefit from these trends and improve upon them with the guidance of an experienced SEO group. You may think that hiring a digital marketing company is cost-prohibitive, but if you do your research, you might be pleasantly surprised.
Increase leads and brand presence with a great digital marketing plan. By staying on trend it the ever-changing online world, you can attract the customers and clients you want.